Reversible single-line feeder



Jan. 10, 1939. D. R. HILLIS I 7 2,143,733

" REVERSIBLE sINGLE-LINE FEEDER 7 Filed Oct. 17, 1936 -3 JV/w/ '3 I3 15 9 2! I B Patented Jan. 10, 1939 2,143,733

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE REVERSIBLE SINGLE -LINE FEEDER David R. Hillis, Detroit, Mich., assignor to Trabon Engineering Corporation, Cleveland, Ohio, a corporation of Ohio Application October 17, 1936, Serial No. 106,185

3 Claims. (01. 184-'7) My invention pertains to distributing feeders connection with pipe lines. At opposite ends of for lubricants and other fluids and more particuthe body 1 are counter-bores 9 of larger diameter larly to feeders for fluid distributing systems of which are threaded for receiving hollow threaded the single-line flow reversing type as disclosed plugs or end fixtures il therein. Each plug II is in my copending applications Serial No. 523,149 provided at its closed outer end with a laterally 5 filed: March 16, 1931 and Serial No. 738,656 filed: projecting flange 13 comprising a hexagonal head August 6, 1934. for conveniently receiving a tool for screwing the Many feeders for this type of service, which plug firmly into the body, I have developed, are disclosed in my Patent No. For passing fluid freely to the dual-service 1,997,406 and in several of my copending patent ports 1 adjace t t e ds of the y, the threedapplications. However, such prior feeders with ed outer surface of the side Wall of each plug 1 l is which I am familiar comprise many moving parts provided with a peripheral groove 15 which is which must be of accurate and precise construcconnected to the hollow interior of each plug tion for fitting together very closely without bindhro ap r ur 17 drilled Substantially 15 ing. Furthermore, such prior constructions inmetrically therethrough. On annular washer I9 15 volve the necessity of providing the feeder body of a e y a e a e a s p e erably p With a plurality of smooth accurate bores which vided for clamping between the headof each plug greatly adds to the diinculty of making and servicand the adjacent end of the body to serve as a ing these devices. gasket for sealing the ends of the feeder.

20 It is accordingly an object of my invention to In the feeder body I the cylindrical aperture 3 20 provide a fluid distributing feeder of an improved ce e a tubular guide Sleeve 2| having a piston construction to eliminate the difficulties of coniding orifice her in. The guide Sleeve 2 fit struction and service previously caused by the snu ly in t e dy a d ds t a u t nmany moving parts closely fitted into a plua e e t W th the intllrned ends o the p u ll rality of accurate bores in the feeder body. as they are s ewed to opp s t e s of t e 25 It is a further object of my invention to probody. The side wall of the tubular guide sleeve 21 vide a simplified fluid distributing feeder of im- 5 p e ce y e P Of Outlet Ports 23 and 25 proved construction comprising elements which which are aligne a Spaced axially 0f the S v may be readily provided from tubular members adja pp ends thereof, and Which are and which are conveniently assembled. joined through a slot or channel 21. The slot 21 30 The invention itself, however, both as to its is not necessarily of precise dimensions or smooth construction and its operation, together with adfi s a d t y therefore be conveniently e111 ditional objects and advantages thereof, will best by a milling machi 0 other Suitable means, as be understood from thefollowing description of a will be readily understoodspecific embodiment, when read in conjunction e guide Sleeve 2| is Provided With a Second 35 ith th accompanying i h re lik pair of ports 3| and 33 which penetrate the side reference characters designate similar parts wall in axially spaced relation relatively near the throughout, a d in W middle of the sleeve, and which may be provided 1 is a longitudi a Sectional View, On line in any circumferential position around the sleeve of Fig; i, Showing fiuifi distrihutihg feeder which will avoid intersecting the slot 21' but which, 9 constructed inaccorda ee W h 1I1Vent10n as shown, are preferably diametrically opposed 2 1s Slmllar. shwmg .Opemtmg therefrom. From the second pair of ports 3| g; 22 ggg 3 j s gg ggsgzggfi and 33 respective grooves 35 and 31 are cut in the in F1 gs. 1 and 2; and outer surface of the guide sleeve 2| to the ad- 45 jacent ends of the sleeve. 23 3 123 55: iggsggfi fi g zgg concentrically disposed within the piston guide ures f the drawing, my improved fluid distribut sleeve 2| 1s a hollow tubular piston 39 which slides mg feeder comprises a body of any Suitable freely back and forth therein limited only by the terior conformation, which may be rectangular. abutment of its opposite ends against the heads 50 The body 1 is provided with a cylindrical aperture of the hollow P u s or bore 3 extending axially therethrough. The The Slidahle hollow piston 39 is Provided n its side wall of the body is pierced by an outlet port outer surface with an annular groove or port 41 5 near the center and dual-service ports '1 near which is cut circumferentially around the middle the ends; The ports are threaded to facilitate of the piston. Theinterior of the hollowpiston 55 is connected into the middle grove 4| of the piston through a duct 43.

The slidable tubular piston is also provided in its outer surface with a circumferential groove port 45 spaced axially from the middle of the piston toward the left hand end of the piston to operatively engage the port 3| in the left hand end of the guide sleeve 2|. Diametrically opposed ducts 4'! connect from this groove port 45 into the interior of the piston. The tubular piston 39 is also provided with a similar external groove port 49 spaced from its middle groove port 4| toward the right hand end of the piston, and connected into the interior of the piston through diametrically opposed apertures 5| in the Walls thereof.

The opposite ends of the hollow tubular piston 39 are closed by solid plugs 53 which are pressed or secured therein in any suitable manner. The outermost ends of the piston plugs 53 are spaced a small distance inwardly from the ends of the tubular walls of the piston 39, and the innermost ends. of the plugs 53 are terminated in unobstructing relation adjacent the spaced ducts 41 and 5| leading through the piston walls to the external groove ports.

The opposite ends of the side walls of the piston 39 are apertured or notched as at 55 whereby the abutment of either end of the slidable piston against the adjacent body plug I I will not cut off the admission of fluid pressure to react upon the end of the piston.

An auxiliary piston 51 is slidably disposed in said hollow piston 39 and divides the same into opposed chambers. Spacing stops 59 project from the ends of the auxiliary piston 51 to prevent obstruction of apertures 4.1 and 5|.

The free slidable movement of the tubular piston 39 is determined by the longitudinal dimension of the piston and the distance between the end walls of the hollow plugs The dimensions are so selected that the middle groove port 4| of. the piston willopen into either one or the other. of the ports 3| or 33 spaced near the middle of the guide sleeve 2| as the piston is moved to either one of its two extreme positions. The other pistongroove ports 45 and 49 are so spaced on either side of the middle groove 4 that either one or the other respectively engages the port in the guide 2| which is disengaged from-the middle piston groove 4| as the piston slides back and forth.

The free sliding distance of the piston is for this purpose preferably equal to the distance between the pair of spaced ports 3| and 33 in the guide sleeve 2|, which is equal tothe distance between the grooved ports 45, 4| and 49 in the hollow piston 39. The ports 23 and 23 in the guide sleeve are preferably spaced axially a dis.- tance which is three times as great as the sliding distance of the tubular piston. The three spaced piston ports thus are adapted to connect with three of the four stationary ports simultaneously, and one of the stationary ports 23 or 25 is disengaged as the piston moves to one end or the other. In. operation, if fluid pressure is applied through the dual-service port I at the left hand side, as shown in Fig. 1, the fluid enters the compartment defined by the hollow end fixture at the left hand side, and reacting upon the adjacent end of the slidable piston 39 pushes it to, the right, as shown in Fig. 2.

The movement of the hollow piston 39 to the v, right hand end of its guiding orifice, carries its grooved discharging port 49 into connection with the outlet port 25, and also carries the piston inlet port 45 into connection with stationary port 3| connected through duct 35 with the fluid receiving. compartment, while also carrying the bypass outlet port 4| into discharging connection with stationary port 33.

The fluid then enters the chamber in the hollow piston on the left hand side of the auxiliary piston 57 which is then forced to the right expelling from this space the fluid which was charged therein by a previous operation. When the auxiliary piston 51 completes its stroke to the right, it uncovers the by-pass outlet port 43 and the fiuid thereafter entering is by-passed out the other dual-service port 7 and continues around the line after the predetermined quantity of fluid has been thus discharged from the outlet port of the feeder device.

It will be seen that I have provided a fiuid feeder device of improved, simplified construction, comprising few working parts which may be readily provided and assembled.

Aside from the specific embodiments of the invention herein clearly shown and described in compliance with the statutes, it will be understood that numerous variations of the construction may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as disclosed and claimed, and that I do not desire to limit the invention to the exact constructions herein set forth.

I claim:

1. A fluid distributing feeder comprising a body having an aperture therein, a guide sleeve in said aperture, a hollow piston slidable therein, end fixtures on said body for closing the ends of said aperture to define fluid receiving compartments and for determining the stroke of said piston, a service port connected into each compartment, a pair of outlet ports in said hollow piston, a pair of discharge ports spaced in said sleeve for selective connection with said outlet ports as the pistonv slides between two extreme positions, a by-passing port penetrating the side wall of said piston substantially in the middle, an auxiliary piston slidable in said hollow piston for dividing the same in two opposed chambers selectively connectedwith said by-passing port in accordance with the position of said auxiliary piston, inlet ports in said hollow piston spaced substantially equally on opposite sides from said by-passing port, a pair of by-pass ports spaced in said guide sleeve for alternative con nection with said piston by-passing port and either one of said piston inlet ports selectively in accordance with the position of the hollow piston, a discharge port in said body, and fluid conduit means for interconnecting said discharge ports and for connecting one of the compartments to each one of the other pair of spaced sleeve ports whereby the flow of fluid between the service ports and the body discharge port is controlled through said hollow piston.

2. A fluid distributing feeder comprising a body having an aperture therein, a guide sleeve in said aperture, a hollow piston slidable therein, end fixtures on said body for closing the ends of said aperture to define fluid receiving compartments and for determining the stroke of said piston, a service port connected into each compartment, a pair of outlet ports in said hollow piston, a pair of discharge ports spaced in said sleeve for selective connection with said outlet-ports as the piston slides between two extreme positions, a by-passingport penetrating Lil the side wall of said piston substantially in the middle, an auxiliary piston slidable in said hollow piston for dividing the same in two opposed chambers selectively connected with said bypassing port in accordance with the position of said auxiliary piston, inlet ports in said hollow piston spaced substantially equally on opposite sides from said by-passing port, a pair of bypass ports spaced in said guide sleeve for alternative connection with said piston by-passing port and either one of said piston inlet ports selectively in accordance with the position of the hollow piston, a discharge port in said body, a groove cut in the outer peripheral surface of said guide sleeve for interconnecting the pair of spaced discharge ports in said sleeve with the discharge port in the body, and similar grooves in said guide sleeve for separately connecting each of said by-pass ports in the sleeve with the adjacent compartment at the end thereof.

3. In a fluid distributing feeder the combination as set forth in claim 1 in which: the distance of travel of the hollow piston is substantially equal to the distance between the pair of by-pass ports in the sleeve, the distance between the middle by-passing port in the piston and either of the inlet ports spaced on opposite sides thereof, and in which the distance between the spaced stationary discharge ports is substantially equal to three piston strokes.

DAVID R. HILLIS. 

